Localised or infrequent but recurring and widespread social marginalisation or prejudice against the non-religious

This condition is unusual in that it is applied in cases where there is some social discrimination, but it is not pervasive or nationwide. This condition is applied when there is sufficient background evidence to warrant the assertion that discrimination is not anomalous but widespread, and this condition may be applied for example even where if there is no legislative discrimination or where the non-religious may have legal recourse against such discrimination. However, societal discrimination (i.e. discrimination by peers, as opposed to state or legal discrimination) is not easily measured, and for this reason the Report does not currently have similar more severe boundary conditions to capture higher levels of social discrimination per se. In principle these may be introduced in future. However, we consider that countries with actual higher levels of social discrimination against the non-religious will generally already meet other higher level (more severe) boundary conditions under this thematic strand.

This condition is applied where there are miscellaneous indicators that organs of the state offer various forms of support for a religion, or to religion in general over non-religious worldviews, suggesting a preference for those beliefs, or that the organs of that religion are privileged.

Religious instruction in a significant number of schools is of a coercive fundamentalist or extremist variety

This condition highlights countries where schools subject children to fundamentalist religious instruction with no real opportunity to question fundamentalist tenets, or where lessons routinely encourage hatred (for example religious or ethnic hatred). The wording “significant number of schools” is not given a rigid quantification (sometimes the worst-offending schools are unregistered, illegal, or otherwise uncounted); however the condition is not applied in cases where only a small number of schools meet the description and may be anomalous, as opposed to being indicative of a widespread problem.

Constitution and government

The constitution and other laws and policies protect freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as well as freedom of expression, assembly and association. By law, the country is secular. Although there is therefore no official state religion, the Roman Catholic Church remains prominent in the political life of the country.

The law at all levels protects religious freedom against abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The preamble to the constitution affirms the determination to “fight all forms of…religious domination and segregation”. Section 12(1) claims that “the state shall recognise and respect the different religious denominations, which are free in their organization and in the exercise of their own activities”.

Catholic privilege and religious discrimination

There are reports of state bias towards the Catholic church in regards to discriminatory state funding of Catholic churches but rejections to funding requests from other faiths, and police inaction following occasional reports of harassment and physical threats to members of Protestant churches by local Catholic groups.

Education and children’s rights

Religious education is compulsory in state schools and is dominated by the Catholic Church.

The government provides some funding to religious organizations to support activities and help in the construction or rehabilitation of places of worship.

Freedom of expression, advocacy of humanist values

Freedom of expression is guaranteed. However the media is weak and easily bullied by the government.

Freedoms of association and assembly are constitutionally guaranteed. However, a 2004 law regulates political gatherings and prohibits demonstrations aimed at “questioning constitutional order” or disparaging the reputations of the head of state and other government officials. The law requires that demonstrations and public protests be authorized in advance.